ChildSafe expanding services

ChildSafe, which assesses and treats some 1,800 victims of child sexual abuse annually in San Antonio, is expanding its scope of services to include nonsexual physical abuse and neglect, officials said Tuesday.

Such maltreatment is at an “at an all-time high in San Antonio,” ChildSafe CEO Kim Abernethy said at a news conference.

In 2011, Bexar County saw a record number of children — 20 — die from abuse or neglect, she noted. As it has in years past, the county led the state in the number of confirmed child abuse or neglect victims — 5,915.

“We are realigning our organization to treat children traumatized by
all forms of abuse,” Abernethy said. “This is such an important issue in our community. It's up to everyone to take a stand against abuse.”

Abernethy also announced that ChildSafe will offer its child abuse training classes to Bexar County deputies and supervisors, as it has for the past five years to San Antonio police officers.

The two-hour training, which addresses such issues as the dynamics of physical and sexual abuse and neglect and how to properly conduct forensic interviews of victims, is crucial information for her employees, new and seasoned, Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau said.

“Because our deputies are so often the first responders in domestic violence situations, it's imperative that they understand how child abuse fits into the equation,” she said. “Expanding our partnership with ChildSafe will strengthen their ability to assess and report child abuse.”

ChildSafe, the only child advocacy center in Bexar County, has provided services to the victims of child sexual abuse and their families for 23 years.

In doing so, it works with a host of agencies, including Child Protective Services, the Sheriff's Office, the police and the district attorney's office, all with the goal of helping young victims heal and bringing perpetrators to justice.

Abernethy said expanding its scope of services will increase the number of children it serves by about 20 percent, or 300 more children a year.

“Because our staff is trained in treating children who have been traumatized by sexual abuse, we are able to seamlessly aid young victims who have been physically abused and neglected,” she said.

Abernethy also announced some members of the Companies for Kids program, in its second year, which enlists local businesses and corporations to help ChildSafe through a variety of ways, such as financial aid or in-kind donations.

James Thomas, CEO of the MPS Group, a copier/printer sales and service company, was one member who attended the news conference.

When Thomas recently learned on Facebook that a ChildSafe client — a mother with young children — didn't have any beds for her kids, he promptly took out his credit card.

“People are so often afraid to talk about child abuse and neglect,” he said. “But the fact is abuse happens everywhere, all across the city, from the less fortunate to the affluent. It's time for businesses to get involved.”Abernethy stressed that everyone must speak out if they suspect child abuse or neglect is occurring by calling the hotline — 800-252-5400.
mstoeltje@express-news.net